Warren Gatland has named his Wales line-up to play England at the Millennium Stadium on Friday night, with Sam Warburton set to win his 50th cap.
The team is largely as expected, with George North and Richard Hibbard returning to the starting line-up after missing the win over South Africa in the autumn with injury.
“We decided to name the team early to give the players the best possible chance of preparation”, said Gatland.
“It was a tough call on the two changes we have made from the side that beat South Africa, but its good to have these and other tough selection decisions and it’s a strong position to be in.
“We are excited about kicking the tournament off on Friday against a strong England side in front of a packed Millennium Stadium.”
WALES TEAM TO PLAY ENGLAND:
Leigh Halfpenny (Toulon), Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), Jonathan Davies (ASM Clermont Auvergne), Jamie Roberts (Racing Metro), George North (Northampton Saints), Dan Biggar (Ospreys), Rhys Webb (Ospreys), Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Richard Hibbard (Gloucester), Samson Lee (Scarlets), Jake Ball (Scarlets), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Dan Lydiate (Ospreys), Sam Warburton (Cardiff Blues, CAPT), Taulupe Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons).
Replacements: Scott Baldwin (Ospreys), Paul James (Bath Rugby), Aaron Jarvis (Ospreys), Luke Charteris (Racing Metro), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Mike Phillips (Racing Metro), Rhys Priestland (Scarlets), Liam Williams (Scarlets).
Photo by: Patrick Khachfe / Onside Images
46 replies on “Six Nations 2015: Wales team to play England”
Picked itself. No surprises but didn’t really need any. A bit of a light looking front row on the bench is a concern but not a surprise.
Really settled side. And bloody good.
Is there any player that would be in the 23 if fit? Certainly looks like they have no injury issues at all. Certainly the XV wouldn’t change.
NOTE: this is not early excuses about injuries from an Englishmen, simply an observation.
Ken Owens is the only injury omission.
I cannot remember the last time we had such a small injury list. Glass half empty view – hope this doesn’t mean the cycle comes around by the WC i.e. us all injured (and England all fit).
New player agreement having an effect? Dan Cole played 42 games in his Lions season. Warbs et al played much, much less than that. And the French contingent for Wales are largely 2nd choice.
Interesting article in papers on weekend on PRA (pro rugby players assoc.) wanting to be involved in next PL/RFU agreement to get games played limits reduced as an extra way of combating the French money. Stay in England to play for England and have your health better protected. Good move I think. Worked well for Ireland and hopefully Wales will benefit as well.
This is quite an interesting point about limiting game time for top players. I certainly think it would benefit the long term health of professional players if they play less matches. It feels like Warburton barely pulls a Cardiff shirt on!
As much as I’d like it, it would be difficult to implement in England as the clubs to tend to hold more power and they’d almost certainly fight it.
Playing 42 games of rugby in one season can not be good for anyones body – especially at tight head prop! I’m sure the fact that he has spent a long time injured since then is closely related.
The new Welsh agreement is amazing – Warbs can play 16 80 mins max. It’s not a lot. AWJ is already past that for the Os and that has been cited as a major factor in him turning down the central contract.
Maybe the proof of the sense of it though is in what we are seeing now – injury crisis for England who have two contrary goals at club level – salary cap limits squad size but want to up the competitiveness of their teams. Welsh cope by reducing the latter (not deliberately, but it is the knock on effect), French cope by just having bigger squads.
Often thought salary cap needs to be more complex and be partly more about average salaries than a simple pot of cash e.g. you could buy 50 mediocre players or 20 excellent ones and thrash the heck out of the 20.
Interesting concept on the average salaries – are there any examples of that being in place? Can’t say I’ve ever heard it mentioned before but I do like the idea of it.
The best thing for any national team is central contracts – that is pretty clear. The issue in England is that the clubs, whilst being incentivised (financially) to provide England with more players there is still a huge number of other factors that mean that is not their sole purpose. NZ have nailed it, as have Ireland. Wales appear to be getting there.
It is difficult to see central contracts ever being in the English game as the clubs wouldn’t go for it.
I commonality in the three countries you mentioned are that they all effectively run a franchise club system. Should england be considering this? Would we as fans want it? If it was better for the national game that our local club was excluded from the “premiership” would we accept that?
Stick with your clubs Mike. The parochial “not in my valley” nature of Welsh rugby means we’re still arguing about “franchises” 10 years down the line and will be arguing about them till the day we did. Despite Wales doing better, despite our top clubs now competing when they play cross border, many still want us to go back to the days of 10/12 top pro clubs and relegation so we can see the likes of Caerphilly lose by a 100 points to Toulon while the other teams all go bankrupt.
The ship has sailed in England/France – clubs rule the game so better to keep trying build better club/union relations. England have a fairly decent one at the mo, keep striving to improve. Keep the likes of the Bath and Saracens owners out of governing the game to their own ends and it’ll all be fine.
Agree with Brighty that it is impossible to implement now in England. But I do actually think it would benefit the English game. Bit of apointless one though because it just can not happen now.
As mentioned, the best we can do is continue with the system we have, and keep trying to improve it.
Jacob, I agree that it would be good for the English game, and strengthen the English club performances in Europe.
That said I agree with Brighty. The ship has sailed and I would fully expect the predicted parochial responses. Possibly even from myself ;-).
My concern is that the current trend is of increasing power of PRL, which is arguably (but not, I think, necessarily) of detriment to the RFU. I just hope that PRL are kept down to earth. At this point while we have very strong club support, I think that English rugby supporters still strongly value the international game. If PRL are allowed to run with it I fear they will go the way of the Top 14 and head swiftly for the football model. Oddly enough, that would not be a sound business decision, as most of the top football clubs make significant losses.
Numbers of games has got to be a big concern, both for the national teams and particularly for player welfare. Brighty, possibly an extension of your idea of expanding squads should be looked at. Maybe bring in a number of squad slots that are only available to acadamy players who have never left the club?
Was intersted by the comment on North not getting on the ball enough. Guess they were a bit of a warning shot to the player. Makes sense. A player with his skill set should want to touch the ball every time wales get hold of it.
If (not really an if I suppose) England start with Ford and 12Ts then I expect to see the oft deployed tactic of North/Cuthbert taking inside/outside balls down the 10 channel. Ford’s not a defensive pushover but it could help tire out their goal kicker and pull 12Ts in too tight to protect him.
As an England fan the thought of anyone running at 12T is worrying!! I think my mum could get past him on his current form.
As an England fan Brighty, the thought of anyone running at 12T is worrying, as on current form I think my mum could get past him.
Would have like Scott Williams to have been on the bench at least, Liam unlucky to not start but should have a great impact later on …
What’s the back row’s form been like recently Brighty?
Warbs and Lydiate have been great for Blues/Os. Warbs looks really fit and hungry and serenely calm. Lyds seems to have taken some time to fit into the Os where he is expected to ball carry more.
Fale has had some criticism for his lack of carrying but his handling and brains have been as good as ever. Dragons pitch is a bog for most of the winter and he is expected to do more for them so it seems to slow down his carrying game. I expect to see him improve over the tournament. Fitness could be a concern in the first game.
I’d have liked to have seen Navidi but honestly couldn’t work out who out of Lyds/Fale/Tips to have dropped for him. If England do use Haskell and he finally plays for country like he can for club than I think Navidi would have coped the best with his physicality.
Thanks. Interesting that Lydiate is carrying more. Do you think we’ll see that for Wales too? Or will he be tasked with focusing on his usual tackling of anything that moves?
With Wood injured, I would be very surprised if Haskell is not on the blind side for England
I think Lyds will carry less for Wales – in fact, as everyone knows, we mostly carry from midfield. Warbs et al get criticised for their carrying stats but simply it’s not how we play and is another reason stats are misleading.
interesting point. I had never particularly considered that view. However, i still think Lydiate, while a superb tackling 6, is an awfull ball carrier for a man of his size.
Rubbish about the Dragon’s pitch, for a grass surface played on by three teams its been fantastic this season. It make’s a mockery of bigger teams like Leicester’s pitch.
Even if England were full strength I’d make Wales favourites. A very stong and very experienced team. I can only hope that the weight of expectation weighs them down, but I’m clutching at straws really. Feeling very apprehensive about Friday.
And as we approach it I am more and more nervous Benjit. These games where we are favourites are always the hardest to wait for. I think it’ll be a lot closer than some of the pundits are starting to lean towards.
And that is why we love the 6n. It really does not respect form or odds. England’s failures from 1999 to 2002 are proof of that.
Leaving Paul James on the bench is a real mistake. Wales lost at Twickenham in 2014 and a huge part of this was Gethin Jenkins in the scrum.
On Friday it is the only area where England can feel confident of attacking Wales.
Picking Paul James would have negated this from the outset and made England’s task far far harder.
Once you start getting pinged at the scrum the ref will always look to penalise you all the time (Wales 2013 v Eng, Eng 2014 v Wales)
Cementhead has yet again gone for ‘players I like’ rather than players in form.
Jenkins is playing in a poor Loos team but gets picked over James who is playing in a successful Bath one.
If it were Scotland I’d understand but it is England whose main strength (maybe their only strength at present with their injuries) is their scrum.
Selection as ever makes no sense at all.
Yes Wales gain with Jenkins in the loose but that’s no good if they are getting penalised at the scrum and losing territory each time.
With James from the outset I would have thought a win was there to be had. With Jenkins I have flashbacks to 2014 and penalty after penalty b 4 the yellow card.
Hope to goodness that Biggar doesn’t get injured as we’d have the turnip back at No10 and England will win without any doubt!
James hasn’t been in great form for Bath. Not sure about Jenkins but from the bits and pieces I have seen, I’m not sure he’s been in great form either.
That said, Dan Cole has barely played, since tries were worth 4 points. Or is that my memory failing again…..
Gethin has actually been in great form for Cardiff, both in the scrum and loose. Some outstanding perfomances and turnovers, only just eclipsed by Navidi for a few MOTM awards.
James has been around for a long time and has never quite taken to the heights hoped for. He’s a steady guy to bring on in an injury, probably won’t let you down, but he won’t take the game to the oppo like Gethin does. Gethin has been around and winning things for over 10 years – he’s not going to have achieved all he has on the whims of a refereeing style.
I’m not sure Jenkins for James is that bad an idea, although i haven’t seem him play alot. James seems to get really low in the scrum and gives away a lot of penalties too?
Stu, would say you were right, was going to comment earlier but was debating how to phrase it, but James is probably the weakest (all things are relative) prop in the Bath set up at the moment of those who are regulars in the first XV and this is both when he and Wilson are starting and Auterac and Thomas come off the bench and in reverse on the few times that Auterac and Thomas have started.
A great side, however, some of the top players named haven’t been on top of their form (looking at Faletau’s quiet season and Jonathan Davies fresh back from an injury lay off). If England start strongly this could be one of the games of the tournament.
Great to see Wales team picking itself without injury dramas as for favourite tags in Cardiff why not its s very settled experienced Team and probably deserved the mantle
England coaching staff and supporters have allways spoken about their strength in depth of Squad quality and the high standard superior English club completion for a long time so lets see on Friday night very excited here down under watching the outcome of the Welsh in this six nations clash in RWC year
No hiding from the fact that Wales are, i would say, clear favourites for this one. lots of pressure on them to win, playing at home, no injuries, players in form etc..
Wales are traditionally slow starters aren’t they? which makes me think england have a chance, an outside chance. i think if england lose SL will receive criticism and rightly so, but if Gatland loses then its panic stations for Wales
Are we right to criticise SL if we lose on Friday? Is there a coach in world rugby that could turn the team we have available to us on Friday into favourites?
Sometimes in sport you lose, and you don’t have to shout and blame people. Sometimes it is just the way it falls.
Yes we should criticise SL. He fails to learn from previous mistakes:
2013: conservative selections meant cost us a decent points difference against Italy that would have guaranteed Eng the championship, even if Wales would have prevented a GS.
2014: conservative selection with England’s bench and his poor use of substiutues (something that had occured int he 2013 AIs) had a direct impact on the loss to France and agains cost us points difference against Scotland that again cold have delivered the championship at least.
Again in the AIs, more conservative selections with Farrell and Barritt, sticking plaster selections as SL seems to have bet the farm on Manu. But Manu hasn’t had an injury free 6n in the last 3 years. Slade and Joseph were in great form, yet not even invited to the camp, which SL likes to do to integrate them into the team for future selections. As it is Slade and Joseph had less than 2 weeks to get aquainted with all the calls and set plays.
It has meant that 2015 has become a must win championship for SL and England, and therefore this has become a must win game, the pressure might be less if SL had delivered previously, but it looks like we’ll go into the world cup with nothing to show for the SL reign.
SL has done a lot right, but has also been given far too much leeway IMO, and the injuires will I fear be a convenient excuse post loss to Wales.
It’s really easy to use hindsight to blame him for past failures, but you’ve grasped at some aspects and ignored others.
For example, JJ was in great form in during the Autumn yes, but that was a month of good form after a year and a half of injured/poor form. To play at international level there needs to be a period of consistency. The length of time he was out far outweighed his good patch at the time so it wasn’t surprising not to see him involved.
Again – I have sympathy with him over Farrell this AI’s. If he’d picked Ford in those first two matches whilst we lost (for a lot of reasons not just Farrell) – I’m sure he’d have been blamed for that too. SL didn’t account for Flood (his most experienced and reliable 10) pissing off to France half way through his tenure – leaving him with a lot of inexperienced players in that position.
Yes 6 nations championships are great – it would have been great if we’d won one. But equally, we beat a bloody good Irish side last year that beat us to the Champioship on points difference based on their thrashing of Italy. Does that make them a much better side than us? Does that make Schmidt a 6 nations genuis and SL amateur? Not in my opinion.
I don’t think England will win the WC, I never have. I think we should be there or there abouts. But I don’t think we will win it. That doesn’t mean SL is useless. It means that our team is still growing, it’s inexperienced.
SCW made loads of strange decisions throughout his tenure but showed enough that he was taking the team in the right direction. SL is not perfect, but he’s arguably had a better 3 years that SCW’s first 3.
Didn’t Flood only go because he probably wasn’t going to make the Eng squad anymore – he was there as injury backup and didn’t want to be? If he was important then more effort should have been made to keep him happy in the Eng setup. I assumed he wasn’t important and I’m guessing by his reaction he assumed the same thing so left.
Flood started both tests in SA summer of 2012, started the first three AI’s the same year before being injured for the NZ game which we all know about. Farrell then started after playing well, but Flood was in every single squad that he was fit for.
Certainly Ford was starting to come into form for Bath early 2014 when Flood decided to move.
Obviously I have no idea what was said between either party behind closed doors, but as I say, SL selected him in every squad (often starting him) since he took over. Doesn’t suggest to me that he wasn’t wanted.
Sure we can criticise SL – would be silly if we can’t, even if fate has dealt him a pretty awful hand when it comes to injuries.
His selection policies are muddled and he doesn’t seem to have a overall view of how England should be playing
Plus how can you not criticise a coach who picks a centre partnership of Farrell and Barritt?
Still, i don’t agree that this is a must-win championship, especially with Wales and Ireland away and so many players out.
I would however, like to see us come out of this with a much more clearly defined style and hopefully a centre partnership that works
BTW – didn’t Flood go to France because he wasn’t first-choice any more?
I did not say play JJ or Slade last autumn, but they should’ve been brought into the camp as a contingency for the 6N, rather than just hope Manu would be fit. Instead we had another in a long line of SL’s sticking plaster selections; Wood at 8, Brown on the wing, Goode covering 10, Barritt at 13 (for a Manu substitute), Farrell at 12!!
This wasn’t hindsight either. A lot of were calling for Billy V to be picked in the 2013 6n after Morgan got injured. Billy was available for the Italy and Wales matches. And it was clear to all from the French match onwards that something needed changing. Most of us were calling for changes in that home match against Italy, especially in the backs, yet Wood was retianed at 8, Brown on the wing, Goode at fb etc.
Again in 2014, a lot of us were querying havind Barritt and Goode on the bench, especially for the Scotland match, once the newbies had proven themselves. And in the AIs it was clear to all that Farrell was unfit after the NZ match.
No this isn’t hindsight. And the continued selection of Goode and absence of Wade and Simpson from the squad are also mistakes IMO.
Definitely would have liked to have seen JJ around more last AI’s but think Slade is still very raw – and also a fly half. He needs to be playing there IMO.
I’m not suggesting that there has not been some strange selections, but most, even if I don’t agree with, were understandable.
It was pretty clear that SL wanted a second playmaker in his backline, and up until 12T’s emerged early 2013 (and we’ve since seen is shaky at best), what genuine options were there? Barritt and Manu were hideous to watch together – but were there genuinely other good options? Certainly Eastmond wasn’t about really, nor was Burrell, JJ or Slade an option then. SL then decided Goode could offer a second playmaker role from 15 and have two boshers at centre.
I certainly would have gone a different route, but I do understand the thinking behind it. Goode has shown IMO, that he is a bit slow to play 15 at the top level, but he is undoubtedly a serious classy footballer. Again with Brown, no I don’t like the idea of him on the wing. BUT, he is a top player and without many other wing options at the time (no Nowell, Watson, Wade around), he shoehorned him in.
Wood at 8 however, I will never ever understand or defend.
Farrell at 12 I was actually in favour of (just not when he looked so unfit). However SL was probably quite confident we’d beat Samoa anyway so wanted to get a look at it.
As I said – I don’t agree with everything he has done but I do think he gets too much of a hard time on here sometimes so I’ll do my best to defend him when I think I can!
Very interesting comment but lets not underestimate England. I will, no doubt, be shouting at the tv whilst pacing nervously on Frday evening and whilst Wales should win I just have this sneaking feeling……..
Worth mentioning that there are a lot of England players who have been given a chance here to put their hands up for RWC squad inclusion, which is going to be a pretty strong motivator.
But will enthusiasm be enough to beat a settled and successful team with a strong home advantage? Probably not.
I think if England manage to get 12-14 points up in the first 20 we’ll have a chance, if not it’s curtains. This is one fixture where Wales will NOT fade in the last quarter.
Eng are being written down a lot and it’s not going to be that simple. It assumes a lot of things, most importantly that SLs first XV (or 2nd and 3rd in some cases) is the best Eng team out there when many, many disagree with that.
Also agree with some here that there will be a lot of boys seeing this as their shot at a WC place. Play well and win in this game and surely even the dreaded management accountancy of “credit in the bank” will have to give way?
I remember our “second string” in RWC 2003 nearly putting out England and giving NZ one of the games of the tournament. Hansen had his first 22 selection wrong (and even to this day he doesn’t admit it, he claims it was a ploy to not show people how good our best players were…).
I know it’s early for predictions but … I’m going for Wales by 8 but it’s 60% led by heart – a win because I think we’re just good enough to sneak it, 8 points because at my age last 10 mins with less than a score in it are too much to handle. I am not at all confident of a win regardless of settled team/home advantage vs injury ravaged ickle waifs. This is England. They’ve kicked our arse for almost my entire adult life, I expect them to be capable of doing so again on Friday.
I agree and although Wales will probably be sending the big boys down that no 10 channel – I think Ford is a greater threat than Farrel would have been – and given good quick ball he could be a match winner.
According to the Telegraph, likely England starting XV:
Mike Brown; Jonny May, Jonathan Joseph, Luther Burrell, Anthony Watson; George Ford, Ben Youngs; Joe Marler, Dylan Hartley, Dan Cole, Dave Attwood, George Kruis, James Haskell, Chris Robshaw, Billy Vunipola.
Pretty much to be expected. Glad JJ in there. Would have thought Nowell would be for his defense. Hopefully on the bench because he can cover back 3 and centres.
Given the injuries, I am not sure SL could pick a different team to this. Farrell, Barritt and Wood are all injured. Still surprised that Hartley seems to have a free pass to foul as he pleases.